Chad, Sonny, and Mistletoe!
by BreeTheFree
Summary: They've been dating since "Sonny: So Far". It's the holiday season, and Chad vows to kiss Sonny before Christmas. But he has only five days to muster up enough courage to make the first move. And sometimes things just don't go as planned, even for CDC.
1. Long Awaited Confessions

_Woww, school has really been eating up my time. I haven't written anything Channy for a while. -GASP- So I'm trying to re-polish my love for Channy by writing this story. =)_

_ This time I'm actually going for a chapter story. Since Christmas break is coming up soon, I'm gonna have more time to work on this. And since it's Christmas season, this story will also be Christmas themed! _

_Hope you guys like the prologue! Basically it's what I imagined what happened between Sonny and Chad backstage in **Sonny: So Far.** Annnd what happened after they finally, FINALLY confessed their feelings (assuming they did, which they did). The Christmassy stuff and the interesting parts will come later, I promise. ;)  
_

* * *

**Long Awaited Confessions  
**

"I…I really like you, Sonny."

Those words were like a breath of fresh air. A years-worth of bricks was lifted off of his shoulders. An elephant stepped off of his chest and lumbered away. He smiled a genuine smile. Chad Dylan Cooper felt as though he had his own personal sun in his heart, swelling, pushing every sorrowful or angry thought out of his mind. As soon as he locked eyes with the girl he adored so very much, he knew he would remember this moment forever.

Minus the trembling fingers and the sweaty palms, of course. _I knew I shouldn't have worn this suit. _He thought, grudgingly tugging the end of his tie. But he was still smiling, and for the first time in a long time he felt as though nothing could pull down the corners of his mouth again.

But Chad's smile would never compare to Sonny Monroe's. As soon as she heard his words it spread across her face. It was bigger than his, filled with pure joy. She was a supernova. A slight pink colored the apples of her cheeks, her chocolate brown eyes glowing with a light similar to that of Chad's internal sun. She was beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. Chad was swept away by his feelings for her. He could have touched the sky in one leap. He could have swum the deepest oceans just to glimpse that breath-taking smile again and again.

"I…I really like you too, Chad." She breathed, reaching for the ends of her dark purple skirt and twirling shyly.

So this was what they've both been really feeling all along. Their endless arguments were now a thing of the past. All those times they'd screamed insults at each other had all been just some form of denial. Who would have thought that the _Mackenzie Fall's_ star—the bad boy--would fall for a _So Random!_ cast member—the nice girl--from Wisconsin?

Chad was speechless. He struggled to maintain his composure, running his hand rather shakily though his thick, dirty-blonde hair. The sun threatened to explode from his chest any time soon. He didn't think it was even possible to feel _this_ happy.

"I'm so…I'm so glad." He finally managed to stammer out. 'Glad' didn't even begin to describe it.

"That was…so much easier to say than I thought it would be." Sonny admitted, her contagious giggle escaping her lips.

"Yeah." Her lips. Chad suddenly wanted to press his own lips against hers. But he waved that thought away as if he were shooing away a fly. That didn't stop the heat from spreading from his cheeks to his hairline. For a moment he felt almost disgusted; after all, Chad Dylan Cooper never tripped over his own words. He never comes close to losing control of his composure. He acts in front of millions of people every day, and yet here he was, sweating a heart attack in front of only one person.

But _this_ person was special. As he gently placed his hand on her shoulder, gesturing with his other hand towards the way back on stage, somehow he felt that letting Sonny see a rare side of him was worth the sweat. Somehow it cemented their connection even more. He smiled again, chuckling to himself when Sonny didn't resist his touch.

"What about Gilroy?" Sonny suddenly asked after acknowledging Chad's gentleman-ish gesture and walking a few steps towards the way back on stage.

Chad's smile faltered. He'd been so caught up with his long-awaited confession of his feelings that he'd forgotten they were both on _Gotcha!_, a talk show with a host determined to make even the greatest celebrities spill deeply buried secrets. Gilroy was a jerk, and presumably through years of practice he'd somehow saw the attraction Chad nurtured for Sonny and attempted to make both of them spill. But they'd been in a room with nothing but chairs and a table and that fake potted plant in the corner. He was sure there hadn't been a place likely enough to hold a secret camera.

"So what? We'll be fine." Chad reassured Sonny. "They'll never know."

So what if Gilroy and the audience saw? After finally confessing his feelings to Sonny, he simply didn't care what the paparazzi thought—or even the world thought--anymore. His heart sank a little. It hurt that Sonny seemed to be embarrassed about her feelings for him.

At first nothing came from Sonny. Chad carefully watched her face for any sign of unease, but was surprised when he saw a small smile instead. She looked up with her brown eyes, lifting her chin with unmistakable sureness. "And even if they do know already…" She began. "I don't care. It's time we finally let the world know what we've been hiding from ourselves this whole time."

The sun burst in Chad's chest, flowing to every fragment of his body. _Kiss her. _Some voice in his head urged. But instead he hastily wiped his palm on his pants and shyly offered his hand to Sonny. "So we're good?" He grinned.

"Oh, we're so good." Sonny had noticed Chad's clumsy attempt at making sure his hand was hold-able. "With or without sweaty palms." Laughing, she grasped it and gave it a quick squeeze as they walked through the curtain and back on stage in front of Gilroy, the cameras, the audience, and the bright lights.

The whole world knew now.

* * *

_I know, I know. It's short and kind of boring, huh? It's just the prologue, no worries. x)_

_If you review it'll help me to write up a juicy chapter for you guys. ;) -hint-_


	2. Mistletoe And Mishaps

_I'm finally done with chapter one, guys! :D _

_This took me forever to write...I was even thinking about it in my sleep. _

_It'll probably sound like my writing skills are rusty, which they are. But I hope you enjoy this anyways! It warmed my heart after reading it over. :)  
_

**_~ Bree_**

* * *

**Mistletoe And Mishaps**

**(_5 days till Christmas_)  
**

When Chad arrived at Condor Studios, he immediately sensed a change in the air as he walked through the doors. And not only could he sense it, he could also _see_ it. It was as if Santa Clause had come five days early and had completely ransacked the place. There were giant sphere ornaments, heavily decorated Christmas trees, wreaths…basically everything had turned red, green, or sparkly overnight.

Chad swaggered around the corner with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, trying to keep from letting up the breakfast he had that morning. He had just passed some extras wearing incredibly corny elf costumes when suddenly he rammed into someone. Sugar cookies scattered all over the floor.

"What the—" He stopped when he realized who he'd rammed into. Sonny Monroe was down on the floor, rapidly picking up the cookies and placing them back on a plate. She was obviously dressed to match the environment, but this time Chad didn't mind her 'costume'.

"Nice dress, Sonny." Chad said, raising an eyebrow. "You look great in red." He bent down with an outstretched hand to help her pick up the cookies. It was the gentleman-ish thing to do. After all, she was his girlfriend.

He smiled. _Sonny Monroe, my girlfriend. _He had never thought of anything more beautiful than that. Ever since they began dating after revealing their true feelings to each other on _Gotcha! _months before, they've been inseparable. Sure, they still argued from time to time, but they were short lived, and never really serious. Chad resorted to tickling Sonny, which always ended the argument.

His cast mates had told him that he'd changed a lot. According to them he had become more tolerant with other people, and didn't demand things from his co-workers and agent like he used to. He was also laughing more, and the _So Random!_ side of the studio had practically become his second home. In other words he seemed _happier._

Chad didn't believe he'd changed that much. But he had to agree that Sonny always had and always will make him happy.

"Chad!" Sonny forgot all about the cookies and gave him a quick hug. "I'm so glad you're here! I need help with the refreshments."

"Refreshments?" Chad was puzzled. He subconsciously tugged at her dark brown hair. "Did I miss something?"

Sonny straightened up and took a step back, studying his face with her eyes. "Don't tell me you forgot about the party!"

Chad stood up too. "Whose birthday?"

She looked as though she was about to slap him. "Christmas is in five days, Chad."

"Ohh." Chad made a face. "Yeah."

"What's the matter?"

"I'm just not a huge fan of Christmas."

Sonny frowned and tilted her head to one side. "Why not?"

"I just don't get what the big deal is." Chad confessed, shrugging. "So much chaos over who gives what present to who and who receives that present from whoever gave it in the first place." He paused for dramatic emphasis. But really he was just avoiding being too emotional. Some painful memories were beginning to stir in his mind. He hastily changed the subject. "You know, they should just give all those presents to me. Chad Dylan—"

"Oh no, not the present speech _again_. Nico and Grady told me about the time you tricked them into getting you some." Sonny eyed him accusingly, but he could see that she was only teasing. If she'd noticed any pain in Chad's voice she gave no indication that she had heard. He watched as she stooped down and picked up the plate of cookies, shoving it into Chad's arms. "Just help me out while I clean up the rest off the floor. Toss that in the trash."

"These? What happened to the three second rule?"

"You butchered it by talking too much. Now go, you lazy bum."

-----

The party was at the _So Random!_ side of the studio, of course. Sonny had practically steered Chad into it, and now he was amongst the casts of different shows, sipping hot cocoa and snacking on little sweets from the long, heavily decorated table in the middle of the room.

Chad was slouched at one of the couches with his feet propped up on the little table in front of him, nibbling on a sugar cookie. Sonny sat close beside him, with a steaming cup of hot cocoa clasped in her hands.

"These are really good cookies." Chad commented, finally taking a larger bite. "I don't know how many I've had."

Sonny raised the cup to her lips, enjoying the warm scent of the cocoa. Chad admired the blush in her cheeks. "Thanks." She replied, flashing him one of her huge signature grins. "I baked them myself."

Chad smiled back at her, gently taking one of her hands and drawing imaginary circles on the back of it with his thumb. "Never knew you were a pro at baking. I guess that's a good thing, since your acting isn't really up to par. At least you have another shot at a different—but less awesome--job." He half-smiled, signifying he was just joking.

"Oh yeah? Well you should keep your trap shut, Cooper. I've seen your acting. I guess I'm the lucky one, 'cause I have a back-up job and you don't." She cocked her head, satisfied with her comeback.

"You don't mean that." Chad pretended to be hurt.

"I don't."

Chad laughed. "Thought so."

Suddenly Marshall called for everybody's attention. "Thanks everyone for coming." He said in his shaky voice. The middle-aged man acted as though somebody had jumped out at him from a closet.

"I hope you're having a great time. But I'd like to announce something special."

Chad was surprised when the _So Random!_ manager suddenly looked straight at him. He glanced at Sonny, who was quietly studying her shoes. She looked slightly embarrassed.

"It's Sonny and Chad's eight month anniversary today." Marshall said, gesturing with one hand towards them. The room suddenly burst with 'oohs' and 'awws'. Chad felt a tingle of heat in his cheeks. Now he knew why Sonny was wearing that dress.

He felt like he'd swallowed a rock. How could he forget this day? Did Sonny set all of this up by herself and expected him to remember? Had she been waiting for him to wish her a happy anniversary?

The heat only spread to occupy the rest of his face when Tawni piped up and announced that the studio would be giving them a free day at a special resort; one of the only resorts in California that had snow. And lots of it.

The guests were oblivious. They began to speak excitedly among themselves. Chad used this time to sneak a few words to the petite brunette beside him. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Sonny seemed confused.

"For forgetting our anniversary."

To his astonishment there was no sign of anger on Sonny's face. Instead she looked even more embarrassed than before. "Actually, I forgot too."

Chad let out a relieved laugh. This was one reason why he liked Sonny so much. Sometimes it seemed like they had the same frame of mind. "Then how did Marshall know?" He wondered.

"Must be in all the Tween Weekly magazines." Sonny rolled her eyes.

"I never read those anymore. Our faces have been all over that thing ever since we started dating. And you know how much I love to see my face."

"Yeah. I hate the publicity. Even our friends are butting in."

"You wanna make a run for it?"

"I can do a tuck in roll."

"I can do a better one."

"Fine."

"Good."

"Let's go."

Tawni broke into their conversation. "Chad? Sonny? Do any of you have anything to say?"

Sonny plastered on a grin. "Thanks, everybody." She took hold of Chad's wrist and began to edge towards the doors.

"What are you guys doing?" That was Nico, who had appeared next to Tawni.

"What do you _think_ we're doing?" Chad snapped. "We're…walking….walking…and standing right under here." He hoped that once he'd brought their guard down they could make a run for it. But Nico's next words made him freeze like a popsicle.

"Under that mistletoe?"

The blush returned with a vengeance. Chad glanced up and saw the green leaves and the infamous white berries, silently cursing himself. He should have known. If the studio was already heavily decorated with every Christmas décor imaginable, that meant there _had_ to be mistletoe hanging somewhere.

"Guess you have to kiss her now." A new female voice sounded from somewhere in the room. This time it was Portlyn. She sounded a little condescending. But all the other guests, including the Randoms and a few of his cast mates, were looking at him expectantly.

Chad took a deep breath and glanced at Sonny, who was looking up at him with raised eye brows. The moment when he'd first confessed his feelings to Sonny eight months ago came rushing back to him. He remembered wanting to kiss her that very day. He'd been so close to her, and they'd been alone. It could have been the perfect time to make the first move. But he wasn't ready then, and he certainly wasn't ready now.

As if fate was agreeing with him, he began to sweat profusely. The blood was pounding in his ears. Sonny was still staring.

"You look pale, Chad." She whispered worriedly.

His stomach heaved violently. Tearing his wrist out of Sonny's hand, he clamped his hand over his mouth as he bolted from under the doors, down the hall, and into the bathroom.

-----

Chad stood stiffly in front of the bathroom mirror and gurgled water for what seemed like the hundredth time. After a minute he spat into the sink, made a face at his reflection, and shuffled out. Sonny was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She looked up with concern etched in every line on her face. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Chad sniffed and tried to calm the slight trembling in his fingers.

Sonny's concern hardened into annoyance. "You should have told me you have a bad reaction to cinnamon."

"I didn't taste cinnamon in your cookies."

She heaved out a sigh. "Just…don't scare me like that again."

"Is the party over?" Chad asked, warmed by the brunette's concern. He noticed that the lights were dim and the murmur of many voices had vanished. All that was left was the scent of apple cider and gingerbread. "Was I in there that long?"

"The bright side to that was we had an excuse to be away from the party."

"Not bad."

She giggled, swatting playfully at his shoulder. "Come on. It's getting late."

They began to walk down the hall side by side, so close that their hands brushed. Chad finally put his arm around Sonny, but the gesture lacked a sense of affection. He felt sick, but it was more than just the uncomfortable churning in his stomach. He was disgusted at himself, for not having the guts to show Sonny how much he cared about her under the mistletoe.

Actually it was more than just caring. He looked up at the clear, star-flecked sky as they stepped out of the studio and into the cold. It was much deeper than that. So why was it so hard for him to show it? A simple kiss was all it would take…

No. It wouldn't be simple at all. Chad glanced down at Sonny as they walked to his car. She was pressed against him for warmth, snuggling into the softness of his jacket. His heart fluttered like the wings of a trapped bird. She was so beautiful. A guy like himself couldn't have deserved such a wonderful girl. Besides, what if Sonny holds back when he leans forward? What if she rejects him? What if she wasn't ready either?

But those fears were quickly washed away when he realized that Sonny was a blessing. He was taking her for granted. What if it was too late? What if she was taken away from him before he could express his love for her?

_Love._ That word popped into his brain for the first time. He felt a chill run down his spine.

"You cold too, Chad?" Sonny murmured into his arm.

Chad snapped out of his stupor. "Huh? No. Just amazed."

"Amazed at what?"

"You."

Her smile was radiant as she snuggled into his jacket again. Chad was astonished by the rush of emotions that swept through him, like a powerful wave crashing onto the shore of a beach. He lowered his head and pressed his cheek onto her hair, pulling her into a tight hug.

It was at that very moment when Chad swore that he would show how much he loved Sonny. He would kiss her before Christmas. Whatever it took, he would show her.

* * *

_Did Chad upchuck 'cause of the cookies, or 'cause he was nervous? Or both? Just something to think about, lol._

_**Review please!** I'll give you some of Sonny's cookies! Ahaha. xD Next chapter is already half written. Should be up very soon!_

_Sorry if Chad and Sonny seemed out-of-character! D:  
_


	3. Breaking The Ice

_I had fun writing the scene towards the end. Sonny and Chad are just so adorable. :)_

_CHANNYCHANNYCHANNYCHANNY!! I really want the second season to come out. Like, right now.  
_

_~ **Bree**_

* * *

**Breaking The Ice **

**(_4 days till Christmas_)  
**

Chad woke up early the next morning with his vow—and his girlfriend's beautiful face--still fresh in his mind. When the maid came into his room with his breakfast, he sat up and began to chew thoughtfully on his toast.

Suddenly he remembered the studio's anniversary gift to him and Sonny; a day at a special resort up in the mountains. He immediately called Tawni and asked her about it. Apparently he had awakened her four hours too early. After a short argument, the blonde grudgingly gave him the details.

A few hours later, Chad had picked up Sonny from her apartment and was driving up the mountains.

Sonny was gazing out the passenger seat window in wonder, enjoying the clumps of the snow outside as they steadily made their way upwards. "I didn't know they had snow in California." She marveled. "When Tawni mentioned the resort I thought she was joking about the snow. When I first came to Hollywood I never dreamed I would see that stuff again."

"Oh yeah, there's lots of that stuff up there." Chad replied. He couldn't help thinking how cute Sonny looked in her winter outfit. Every color matched perfectly, from the beanie on her dark head down to her pink, fur lined boots.

He wondered what she thought of him, with his own winter outfit on. Everything he'd bought was from Pac Sun and Zumiez. Even the star of the number one tween drama in America liked to swerve the top designer stores in Hollywood and go normal once in a while.

"What are we gonna do up there?" Sonny asked.

"We'll go grab some hot cocoa up at the lobby and do whatever. The place is basically free since I'm famous."

He had a plan, though. He would take Sonny ice skating and try to gain enough courage to show her how he felt. The thought of it made him queasy with nervousness, but he knew he had to try. He made a vow to himself, and Chad Dylan Cooper always kept his promises. At least, when he cared enough about them. And this was one of the few promises he really cared about. He gripped the steering wheel and grinned, but that didn't chase the butterflies away.

"No, we're _both_ famous. Does being on _So Random! _not count?"

"Not at all." Chad teased.

"Take that back." Sonny growled.

"You know I'm just kidding."

------

"I've…" Sonny released her breath in a sort of embarrassed laugh. "I've actually never gone ice skating before."

"Really?" Chad was admiring the pink that tinged her frost-bitten cheeks. He raised an eyebrow, letting a smidge of a mocking tone into his voice. "Don't you Wisconsinions do that sort of thing?"

Sonny narrowed her eyes, pursing her lips. "_Oh_, so you're telling me you're an ice skating expert?"

Chad smirked, intuitively popping his imaginary collar with his thumbs. "CDC, baby. You can't get any more talented than this."

"Jerk." Sonny scoffed, rolling her eyes. But there was a hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth. Dropping the pair of ice skates to the snow covered ground she reached up and straightened Chad's beanie, patting his head twice before letting her arms fall to her sides again. "And it's _Wisconsinite_, for your information."

"Yeah, yeah." Chad affectionately played with the end of her brightly patterned scarf. "Now you wanna learn how to ice skate or not?"

For a second he saw a flash of fear in Sonny's eyes. "You…I never said I wanted to…"

"You scared?"

This time her eyes flashed fire. "I never said I was!"

"Then let's go!" He grabbed hold of her hand, but she wouldn't budge.

"Chad?" She sounded timid.

"Yeah?"

"I-I'm actually afraid of…of falling through the ice."

Chad laughed, but not unkindly. "Then why didn't you say so?" He wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her close, nuzzling her strawberry-scented hair. "You of all people should know that I'm very protective of those I care deeply about."

He saw that smile—the smile that made his heart skip—spread across her face, reminding him of the way the sun rose between the hills in the morning.

"You'll protect me?" She whispered.

"Are you doubting me, Sonny?"

"Maybe." Sonny grinned mischievously. She gently shouldered out of his grasp and began to trudge through the snow, towards the snow-draped trees. Chad watched her go with a goofy grin on his face.

Realizing he wasn't following, she glanced over her shoulder, annoyed. "What are you waiting for? Let's go ice skating!" With that she hobbled further out through the white powder, stumbling a few times. The ice skates hung from her mittened hand, the blades glinting in the weak winter sunlight.

Chad felt like flying as he watched her go. "That is, if you can make it there without falling flat on your face!" He called haughtily, watching the soft curls of her dark hair bouncing with each step she took.

"Shut up!"

------

Chad caught up with Sonny a foot away from the frozen pond. The area was surrounded by snow-draped trees. Everything was so quiet and still that Chad could hear every step he took, even the dripping of water from the icicles hanging underneath the branches of the trees. He could see his breath billowing up into the air.

"Surreal, isn't it?" Sonny murmured. She sounded awe struck.

"Yup." Chad shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket and breathed in and out. He had never smelled anything so crisp and clean in his life. Peace flooded into him, making him feel relaxed, along with a subtle giddiness that suddenly made him want to scream and shout out of pure joy. He glanced at Sonny and put his arm around her. "You're amazing, you know?"

Sonny nodded, grinning like a maniac. "I already know that."

"Ooh, I sense ego inflation. I think you've been hangin' around me too much." Chad hugged her to his side, laughing. "So, you got your ice skates on?"

A minute later Chad was balancing effortlessly on the frozen pond. Sonny was teetering uncertainly at the edge, gazing down at the ice as if she were having a stare down with a giant spider. "Come on, it's not that hard." Chad muttered, amused.

"Easy for you to say." Sonny glared at him through her bangs. With fierce concentration, she carefully placed the tip of her right skate's blade, but pulled back as if the ice had suddenly transformed into lava. "I…I can't do it."

"Sure you can!" Chad abruptly glided forward and grabbed both of her hands. "Just hold on to me and you'll be fine." He began to skate backwards, bringing Sonny with him. She screamed into his ear.

"Geez!" Chad could hear a painful ringing in his right ear.

"Don't let me go!" Sonny cried.

"I won't, I promise. Just don't scream in my ear, alright?"

"You _better_ not let me go!"

"Just relax, will you? You're doing great." Chad gradually let go of one of her hands--he couldn't help but laugh at her horrified expression--and guided her around the pond. "Just go with the flow. Slide one foot in front of the other."

They continued to skate unhurriedly, close to the rim of the frozen pond. Chad monitored Sonny's composure and kept his hand clasped in hers, murmuring quiet encouragement to her. After a while he noticed her confidence increase. The fear left her eyes, and she began to smile. "Hey, I think I'm getting this!" She exclaimed excitedly.

The joy on her face set loose a flurry of butterflies in Chad's stomach. _Not yet. _He reminded himself. _It's got to be the perfect time._

"Told you so." Chad scoffed. "You ready to go on your own?"

Her eyes widened. "Um…I guess so…"

"You _guess_ so? Well I _know_ so." Chad squeezed her hand. "Don't be scared."

"As long as you're with me." Sonny murmured.

"Always." He felt an unexpected lump in his throat. "And if you fall, I'll be there to get you right back up again."

Her eyes shone. Then she took a deep breath, slipped out of his grasp, and skated smoothly ahead of him. Chad watched, amazed, as she made one (almost) perfect round, followed by another. And another.

Sonny was laughing so hard tears were rolling down her cheeks. "Check this out!" Her hair flapped wildly from underneath her beanie, her scarf brushed down around her neck and she spread her arms out as if she were a bird, flying free into open skies. "SM, baby. You can't get any more talented than this!"

Now it was Chad's turn to laugh. "Hey, don't steal my line!" He waited until she came around again, then he caught her around the waist. "Gotcha!"

"Hey, you just ruined my moment." Sonny pouted. But her chocolate brown eyes were sparkling.

"This is my moment too." He whispered in her ear. With that, he held on to one of her hands and they skated together, first in wide circles, then eventually in complicated twirls. Sonny was a quick learner. They laughed till their bellies hurt, tripped and fell into the soft snow when they weren't being careful, and got back up with the enthusiasm of two small children.

Finally they met up in the middle of the frozen pond. Chad and Sonny were facing each other, skating in a slow circle, similar to that of a merry-go-round. They held hands and looked up at the sky, grinning as if they had no care in the world. It was perfect, pure bliss.

Chad finally turned his attention away from the sky and gazed into Sonny's eyes. This was it. He began to muster up of all his courage. Despite the cold he began to sweat.

"You're a great teacher, Chad." Sonny complimented, smiling that smile again.

"Thanks, Sonny." Chad replied. He ignored the thudding in his chest and carefully studied her face. "Listen. There's something...I'd like to show you."

"What is it?"

Chad hesitated, clearing his throat. _Come on. Don't chicken out now. _

"I--"

Suddenly there was a sickening crack, the sound of ice splintering. Chad let out a scream two octaves too high, and was out of Sonny's warm grasp and into the wintry claws of the water below as he plummeted through the ice.

* * *

OH NOES! IS CHAD OKAY?!?! D:

_...I feel sooo evil leaving you guys hanging like this. _

_If you **review** maybe the next chapter will come faster, hmmm? ;)_


	4. Spaghetti Storm

_Oh. My. Gosh. I had the worse case of writer's block. D: _

_I'm so, so, so sorry I couldn't post this up sooner. I spent half of yesterday and all of today on it, and I'm still not totally satisfied.  
_

_But I hope you guys enjoy it, regardless. I promise I'll have something better for you guys! _

_Channy forever. :)__**  
**_

_**~ Bree**_

_**

* * *

**_

_**(4 ½ days till Christmas)**_

Chad had never been so humiliated in his life. All the tabloids that had said untrue things about him in the past could never compare to this. He was glad that all the other guests in the resort had either retreated to their rented bedrooms or had gone home. The last thing he needed was a crowd of fans asking him stupid questions.

He'd been so close to telling Sonny how he felt about her. So close to her lips. The moment had been perfect. The whole day towards ice skating on the frozen pond had been perfect. The ice skating itself had been perfect. But falling through the ice certainly hadn't been part of the plan. He cursed himself inwardly.

Chad sat on the lobby's overstuffed couch--ignoring the curious stares from the late night female receptionist at the front desk--shivering despite the fire blazing among the wood in the fireplace and the piles of blankets Sonny had tossed onto him in a worried frenzy.

At least, he thought she'd been worried a minute ago. Now she was _laughing_ at him. In fact, she was laughing so hard she was fighting to let in so much as a breath. Big, fat tears rolled down her rosy cheeks until she was forced to wipe them off with a trembling hand. Then just when Chad was sure that she was done, she slapped her knees several times and doubled over into another laughing fit, throwing herself next to him on the couch.

"Geez, Sonny." Chad glowered at her through a hole in one of the blankets. "I thought you'd show a lot more sympathy for me." Even though he was practically an icicle and he could barely feel his own fingers, he was still blushing fiercely. And the flurries of butterflies showed no sign of leaving his tummy.

He gazed at her face, flushed and wet with happy tears. Sonny was just too cute to stay mad at for long. He couldn't help but smile. _Stupid cute…_

"I'm…I'm sorry, Chad." Her contagious laughing gradually softened into quiet giggles.

"You better be." Chad grouched. "I nearly drowned."

There was another spurt of wild laughter. "The water only went up to your chest!"

"It wasn't just water. It was _freezing_ water."

"You were flailing like a fish!"

"I wasn't _flailing_. I was just trying to keep my head above the water!"

"You didn't need to!"

He hesitated, trying to think up of a clever comeback. "So?!"

"Oh, Chad." Sonny sighed. "Stop being such a drama king."

"In case you've forgotten, I'm the star of _Mackenzie Falls_."

"But you're also my boyfriend." Sonny reminded him. Suddenly she looked serious. "When you fell though the ice I thought you were hurt. If the water had been any deeper…"

Chad stared at her. "You were really that worried for me?"

"Of course I was!" Sonny irritably slapped him on the arm. Chad was beginning to warm up, and the feeling was coming back into his limbs.

"Oww! What was that for?"

"This is the second time you've scared me since yesterday! What next? Falling off the mountain?"

Chad glimpsed her stern face. After a moment he threw off some of the blankets, raised his arm, and laid it across her shoulders, gently bringing her closer to his side. "Nah, I wouldn't do that. If it makes you feel any better, I _did_ protect you."

"I know you did." She grumbled. "I was scared of falling through the ice, and you fell through instead." She tried to keep a straight face. But she began giggling again, uncontrollably. She snorted once, twice, and that's when Chad couldn't hold back anymore. He began laughing too, until they both had tears running down their cheeks.

"That's right." Chad murmured, smiling. He was so close to her. But fear held him back.

"Shouldn't we be getting back home?" Sonny asked.

"We have special treatment. We can stay as long as we like."

They didn't notice the receptionist listening to them with a knowing smile on her kind face. She quietly tidied the front desk, grabbed her purse, and left without a word.

It was seven o' clock. Chad and Sonny continued to chat quietly to each other. One hour passed, followed by three more. By the time the clock struck midnight, Sonny had fallen asleep in Chad's arms. He smiled, content, and stroked her hair. He soon lost consciousness as well.

The flames in the fireplace burned out and plunged the entire lobby in darkness, except for the twinkling, heavily decorated Christmas tree in the corner. It was like a lone star in the sky.

------

**Spaghetti Storm**

_**(3 days till Christmas)**_

Chad drove Sonny home feeling like he was floating on air.

"I'll see you soon." He promised as the petite brunette stepped out of his car. When she smiled at him, the internal sun returned to his chest, exploding and warming his entire body.

But when he drove up in front of Condor Studios and turned off the engine, reality began to settle in. Frustration welled up inside him. Christmas was in three days. And he still hadn't told Sonny how deeply he felt about her.

He was still pondering about this in his mind when he entered the _Mackenzie Falls_ side of the studio and walked straight into his dressing room. But he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"So you haven't kissed her yet?"

Chad spun around. "Portlyn?"

His cast mate was standing in the doorway of his dressing room. "I saw you come in. You looked as though you were going to kill something."

"Not exactly." Chad muttered. "Besides, it's none of your business."

"Didn't you try to kiss her at all?" Portlyn ignored his obvious resentment and plunged on. "I saw you under the mistletoe at the party. You're scared, Chad. You're afraid to show her how you feel about her. You had all the time yesterday at the mountains, and you still didn't kiss her."

Chad sighed. He was used to putting up with Portlyn's nosiness. Even though they weren't _exactly_ friends_, _they were still cast mates, and he had to admit; Portlyn knew him more than he thought.

He sauntered over to his personally embroidered couch and plopped down. "Am I really that easy to read?" He asked, brushing his dirty-blonde hair out of his light blue eyes.

Portlyn leaned against the door frame, a sly smile on her face. "Yeah, you are."

"Well, what am I supposed to do? I get so nervous when I'm about to do it. Saying...how much I love her isn't going to be such an easy thing to do either." Chad stopped, eyes wide. He'd never confessed to anyone else just how deeply he cared for Sonny. He glanced at his cast mate. She was staring at him with raised eye brows.

"That is, if I do confess to her...that way." Chad felt the blood rush to his face. "But what if she rejects me? I don't even know if she feels the same way."

"Are you kidding me?" The sudden intensity in her voice startled him. "Have you seen the way she looks at you? How tightly she holds your hand? The way she blushes whenever she laughs at one of your lame jokes? She loves you too, Chad. I bet she's waiting for you to tell her that you feel the same way. To _show_ her."

Chad fell silent. He didn't want to admit it, but Portlyn was actually making sense.

"Bring her out to dinner tonight." She continued, gently this time. But her annoyance was still evident in the way she rolled her eyes. "She'll never know if you don't try. Besides, you're Chad Dylan Cooper. You can--"

"Do anything. I know." He popped his collar, trying to ease his anxiety. "I know."

------

"I still can't believe you brought me to the Pasta Palace!" Sonny cried. She was so excited Chad half-expected her to explode any second. "I've never been here before!"

"Obviously." Chad laughed. Tinsel was wrapped around the candle in the middle of the table, and somewhere above them a speaker was quietly playing a Christmas tune.

He swallowed, suppressing a flare of nervousness in his stomach. This was his chance.

"Sonny?"

"Yes?" She stopped looking around in wonder, resting her chocolate brown gaze on him.

He began to sweat again. "I…I…what…did…we order?" He felt like melting into a puddle and sinking through the floor. He never thought he'd begin to doubt himself.

"We ordered the jumbo pasta plate." Sonny reminded him, raising one eye brow.

"Um, yeah. That's right."

When the waitress came around with their order, she moved the tinseled candle to the side and placed a gigantic, steaming plate of spaghetti between them. The meatballs were bathed in rich tomato sauce and sprinkled in parmesan cheese. Chad's mouth watered. It took him a moment to realize that the waitress was still standing next to their table.

"Hey, you're Chad Dylan Cooper from _Mackenzie Falls_!" The pretty waitress exclaimed.

"Yup." Chad flashed his signature smile. "Who else can it be?"

"Love your show." She gushed. "Can I have your autogr--"

"Can I ask you to leave?" Sonny broke in. She sounded indignant. "We've kinda having a date here?"

The waitress didn't seem like she'd noticed Sonny before. She flashed a dirty look through narrowed eyes before flipping her hair and walking away.

Chad glanced at Sonny. Her cheeks were red. She quietly studied her fork and spoon. "Well, let's eat." She said hastily, not daring to look Chad in the eye. He smiled, amused.

"Don't worry, Sonny. I only have eyes for you."

She blushed even more.

------

The spaghetti seemed to have grown. They weren't even half done by the time twenty minutes had crawled past. Chad was so full he could barely shove in another bite.

"One more bite." Sonny urged.

"Not me." Chad placed his fork down and groaned.

"Really, Chad? Really?"

"Is that a challenge?"

"Why, yes. It is."

"Fine."

"Good."

"Fine!"

They stabbed at the spaghetti at the same time and shoved one more bite into their mouths. Chad paused. One of the noodles seemed to have its other end in Sonny's mouth. He chewed, Sonny chewed, and he noticed as they did their lips got closer. He didn't know if Sonny had noticed what this was leading to, but he certainly had.

His heart began to race. This wasn't exactly what he had in mind.

But regardless, he closed his eyes and prepared himself for what was to come next.

Suddenly there was a crash. Chad felt the table cave in from under him. Something warm splattered onto his hair and began to seep into his shirt. He yelled and opened his eyes to see Sonny covered in the spaghetti they were just eating. Sauce ran down her startled face. Their drinks were on the floor, their contents spilled onto the carpet. Silverware was thrown into the fake plants next to their chairs. The gigantic plate lay upside down on the back of one of the waiters, who was lying in an awkward position among the remains of the table. The clumsy waiter could do nothing but smile up at them sheepishly.

Chad was too stunned to do anything. He couldn't believe it.

"The spaghetti's delicious." He muttered.

* * *

_Ugh._

_I know, I know. I kind of rushed towards the end. _

_Blame my stupid writer's block.  
_

_Please **REVIEW**! Your reviews so far have made me so happy. :)_

_How'd you guys like the **major fluff** at the beginning? :)_ _:) :)_


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